The Blessed Sacrament venerated by lambs
Around the year 1850, on a beautiful June morning, a carriage stopped in front of the rectory of Rawdon, a small village nestled in the Laurentian mountains. The assistant priest, Father Nazaire Piché, was being fetched to bring the Holy Communion to a sick person who was quite far from the church. In our countryside, as you know, the Blessed Sacrament is carried in an ostensible manner. Near the houses, the coachman shakes his bell, everyone gets out and comes to kneel at the edge of the road, in a beautiful act of faith and adoration to the God of the Eucharist. They were walking peacefully on the main road, the young priest and his companion, when they saw a truck driven by an orangeman (protestant) known for his fierce hatred of our holy religion. He probably thought that he had a good opportunity to show his contempt for all those superstitious rites of the Eucharist. The road was wide, but the unfortunate man brought his heavy carriage up to violently collide with the priest’s carriage, with the apparent purpose of overturning it. The coachman leapt with indignation; armed with his whip, he raised his arm to whip the insulter and avenge the insult done to the august Sacrament. No, no, sit down,” said the assistant priest calmly, “leave this man alone. You will see that Our Lord will draw his glory from the insult that has just been done to him. “
They arrived at the patient’s home. Family members, neighbors, and children were gathered on the porch and in the neighborhood to adore the divine Comforter of the dying. Nearby, seven or eight young spring lambs were passing by. As soon as they saw the priest get out of the carriage, carrying the holy pix in his hands, they ran up and together, formed in a semicircle, they knelt before the Lamb of God who was passing by.
You can imagine the emotion of the assistant priest and of all the witnesses of the miracle. Once the Holy Host had been given to the sick man and the prayers said, they surrounded the priest, especially the children, who were still very excited.
– Sir, sir, did you see the little sheep kneeling like the rest of us just now?
– Certainly, my children,” replied the priest, “and I will give you the explanation of the miracle. He then recounted the incident on the road, the outrage done to the Eucharist by the fierce sectarian, the reparation promised to the driver to appease his holy anger.
– I did not believe, my children,” he continued, “that my prediction would come true so soon. But see how the good Lord has done it: he has renewed the miracle of the Crib. Holy Scripture reminded us at Christmas time of the word of the prophet, “Israel did not recognize the God who had made him, but the ox recognized his lord and the donkey the manger of his master.” The enemy man did not want to recognize and respect the presence of the God hidden under the Eucharistic veils; the Father who is in heaven made him pay this homage by these little lambs, very nice, but devoid of reason. What a lesson for all of us, my children, and how it should revive our love for the divine Eucharist!
Father Nazaire Piché eventually moved to Lachine, near Montreal, where he died. He is buried there to this day.
Sources :
Le Messager canadien du Sacré-Coeur. Vol. XXXII, no 6, juin 1923. Pp. (263)-265. Par Napoléon Paré, S.J.
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Monument de l’abbé Nazaire Piché à Lachine
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L’abbé Nazaire Piché
